Lasting machine



Filed Dec 24, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Egg-1 Inventor Vow/0001B Krwu/[Zo/z N. H. KNOWLTON June 10, 1952 LASTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor )Vorwooaflffnowlton may June 10, 1952 KNQWLTON 2,599,645

LASIING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 in Mental" Nora/00a [1' [17201121 ton By s Attgqney June 10, 1952 N. H. KNOWLTON 2,599,645

' LASTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 16 /////Il!!\\\\\\\%. 1/4 F 6 [12 5 z:

Patented June 10, 1952 Norwood H. .Knowlton, Rockport,

Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation}'Meir'iington, N. .L, a. corporation of New Jersey Appue utn December 24, 194 Serial 1510.57.37.

This invention. relatesto lasting machines and more particularly to a machine forjcontinuously and progressively operating upon the lasting margin of the stock to be lasted to' grip, feed and'tension it, then work it in over and permanently see cure it in a lasted. position to the bottom of a shoe. While the inventioncontemplates, suitably securing this lasted-over margin by means of tacks orstaples, it is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine especially adapted for attaching the entire marginbya suitable adhesive.

The adhesive method. of fastening is extensively employed in the lasting of conventional shoes and also for securing platform covers or bindings, to thebottoms ofplatformshoes; such as the soecalled slip-lasted type, in, which a thick sheetof felt or other relatively compressible material is employed as a shoe bottom member. In this type of shoe construction, the thickness and compressibilityof'the platform'material necessitate agreat degree of, carejin properly controlling the amount of lasting tension im-t parted to the material forming the, platiorm cover. If the tensioning force is too great; 'it will crush and deform the edge of the platform causing anunsightly appearance and. a. finished shoe having'an outsolewith either. anirregular adhesivejbond, or a roundedand warpede'dge. Another factor, frequently producing unslightly appearance in platform coverings, is thatflthe material is stretched. obliquely, in alengthwise direction along the platform edge, instead of directly heightwise of the shoe bottom. Such ob-. liquetensioning, due to the thickness oi the, platform, will produce a noticeable distortion or tendency for the coverings to become pleated or corrugated.

An object of the present inventionis to provide an improved lasting machine having a novel arrangement of rotary tensioning and feeding members which will automatically and uniform- 1y apply a predetermined degree of tensioning stress, in a direction heightwise ofthe shoe, while freely permitting the progressive longitudinal movement of the shoe in response to a workfeeding force applied in a direction lengthwise of the shoe and at right angles to the tensioning stress. To this end, and as a feature of the invention, the machine is provided with a frictional tensioning wheel having a peripheral'arrangement of ribs for engaging the outer surface of a lasting margin. This Wheel is rotated in a plane normal to the bottom of the shoe, so that when the lasting margin is pressed into operative contact against the ribs it will be tensioned directly. heightwise. 1 Preferably, vthe optimum 14 Claims. (01. 12- -1) force for driving the tensioning wheel is adu ta ly cont l hrou a :"ev 'ab' e t mes clutch; In accordance with anotherfeatuiie of the invention, the margin is'progressivelyfed longitudinally, and held in operative contact with the tensioning wheel," by a l pressure feed ifo f0; tating 'ina planeparallel, andfadj'acent; the bottom of the shoe. This: rollis drivendnde pendently of the tensioningwheel;and thepee ripheral surface of the roll is yieldingly pressed against the inner surface of the lasting-margin which is positionedfby the operator'betweed'the roll and" the tensioning wheel. The peripheral surface of the roll is provided wi h mange tending friction ribs; eaeh arranged soas tc contact the margin alonga line inf the directio'rilof lasting tension. These ri'bsnot only facilitate the heightwise tensioning movement of the nputsrial as it is fed pastthe roll; butfthey also LirO'duce amore definite work feed.- A further object of the invention is to provide a novel rotary wiper construction ref er eressi-vely wipingan extensivebarlddike area of the marginal material; inwardly over" the "s'hoe bottom, with 'a-positive reparers-effect a strong adhesive bond throughout a wide area. In accordance with, features-"oi the "invention, this is accomplished by employingeitheroneof two different types of symmetrical disla' wipers. In the first type the peripheral -contour*of-*the wiper is that of an equilateral pelygbnmavin an odd number 'oismoothly 'mergin'gsides; and the wiper is rotated about a concentricax-is which is free to reciprocate"heightwiseoifthe shoe a sufiicient amount to permit the successive portions of the periphery to. contact thedastin margin during each cycle ofrrotationl The odd number of sides may be variedaccording to'the peripheral size of the wiper in relationto the width of the area to be wiped; either increasing the siZe of thewiper, orfdecreasing the number of sides will result in extending the wiping area inwards from the edge of theshoe; aIn thezse'cond type, thexwiper. isin the: form of agcircular disk rotating about an eccentric axis recipro:

' a e. h -W e wi h respect to. the: bottom "of the .shoe to permit contact between the wiper periphery and'the lasting marginxthroughoiitthe entire cycle of rotation. ,With this typefof wi-per the wiping area may be extended inwardly-by either increasing, the peripheralrsize of the. Wiper or increasing, the eccentricity of; its axis;

With each type'ofwiper, .a pressure vidle roll, aving a, fixed-axis of rotation is mounted die rectly above, the wiper, and a: tensionspring, exerting a yield-able 'upwardforce upon; the-re:

ciprocating wiper mounting, maintains a camlike contact betWeen this roll and the upper periphery of the rotating wiper. These novel wiper constructions cause the point of engagement of the edge of the wiper with the work progressively to vary in distance inwardly from the edge of the shoe, while continuously rubbing in an inward direction from the edge of the shoe, to effect the progressive wiping by successive points throughout an area extending substantially across the lasting margin. In the case of the polygonal wipers, successive portions of the edge of the wiper will initially engage with the work at a point adjacent the edge of the shoe and remain in contact with the margin throughout a rubbing stroke extending in a direction inwards from the edge of the shoe. With the circular wiper operating on an eccentric axis, the points of engagement of the wiper with the work progressively advance inwardly over the shoe bottom and then recede towards the edge of the shoe, once during each cycle of the wiper, while continuously rubbing in an inward direction.

Further objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, by reference to the accompanying drawings and as pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a view in front elevation of a machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine partly broken away and in section;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line III-- III of Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows:

Fig. 4 is a vertical section substantially on the line IVIV of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows, showing an embodiment of the wiper assembly;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation of operating parts of the machine and of a shoe being lasted, the latter being in section and of the slip lasted platform type;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view, on an enlarged scale and partly in section, of elements similar to those of Fi 5;

Fig. "I is a fragmentary view in side elevation corresponding to Fig. 5, but showing a modified wiper operating upon a conventional insole type of shoe;

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation diagrammatically showing various operational phases of the wiper element of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 shows diagrammatically correspondin phases in the cycle of a second modified wiper element.

The machine is illustrated, Figs. 1 through 6, as assembled upon a rigid framework having a base I0 adapted to be mounted on a bench or other suitable support. The framework extends upwardly forming two projecting housing members I2 and I4 on the forward side of the ma= chine. The member I2 provides a mounting for the tensioning and feeding instrumentalities. A disk-like tensioning wheel it, having a series of diagonally arranged peripheral ribs I3 and an axle 20, is rotatably mounted upon a yoke block 22 which is adjustably attached to the housing I2 by bolts 24 (Fig. 2). The wheel I6 is driven in the direction of the arrow by a, suitable train of gears 3, 5, I, 9 and II (Fig. 3) connecting it to a variable torque clutch, comprising a hollow drive shaft 26 driven by a power pulley 28, a driving plate 35 secured on the shaft and a driven plate 32 having an annular friction surface 34 for normally contacting the driving face of the plate 30 to deliver the desired driving torque to the tensioning wheel. The drive and clutch assembly is mounted, by needle bearings 36, 3B and a bushing 38, on a shaft in which is carried at one end by a sleeve 45, journaled through the frame Iii of the machine, and threaded at the other end into an end plate ll on a fixed support 42. A hand wheel M, fixed to the other end of the shaft, engages against one end of the sleeve bushing 45 the other end of which bears against a compression spring 48 spaced apart from the plate 32 by a thrust bearing 5%. Another thrust bearing 52 is positioned on the shaft 35 between the support 32 and the drive shaft 25. As will be apparent, the torque transmitted from the plate Si! to plate 32, and hence to the wheel It, may be regulated by turning the handwheel A l to vary the pressure exerted by the spring A8.

The housing member I4 serves as a support for the wiper assembly which comprises a disk wiper 54 having a smoothly rounded leading edge 55 and a gear surface 56 driven in the direction of the arrow by a driving gear 58 which in turn is driven through a train of gears I3, I5, I1 by the drive shaft 25 (Figs. 3 and 4). The wiper 54 is rotatably mounted upon an axle 60 set on the forward end of a reciprocating arm 62 pivotally attached at its rearward end about the axis of the driving gear 58. A pressure idle roll 64, peripherally adjacent the wiper, is rotatably mounted upon an axle 66 set in a boss 68 extending forwardly from the member I4. A tension spring Hi, attached at its upper end to the boss 68 and at its lower end to the reciprocating arm 62, holds the surface of the wiper against the roll 64 for a purpose that will be explained. On the forwardmost part of the machine a feed roll shaft housing I2 is pivotally mounted adjacent its upper end on a stud I4 set in the frame member I2 and journaled through a rearwardly extending pivot arm I5 (Figs. 1 and 2). The housing is held in horizontal position on the stud between a set collar I5 and a lug cap I8. A shaft 89 is rotatably mountedwithin the housing by needle bearings 82, 82 and is vertically positioned by adrive pulley 84 and thrust bearing 85 secured adjacent its upper end and by a set collar 88 and thrust bearing 90 below. On the lower extremity of the shaft a pressure feed roll 92, having a series of peripheral ribs 94,.is yieldably urged rearward'towards the tensioning wheel I6 by a helical compression spring'96 (Fig. 22) positioned longitudinally about a stud 98 extending from the housing I2 rearwardly through the framework, a thrust washer I00, and through the spring, the force of which may be adjusted by'a wing nut I02 threaded on the end of the stud. A set screw I54, threaded through a portion of the housing, bears against the framework 12 for adjustably limiting the rearward pivot action of the pressure feed roll assembly. The forward movement of the assembly is controlled by the foot treadle I65 and link rod I08 connected at its upper end to the rearward extremity of the pivot arm I5. A downwardly extending leg III) is attached for vertical adjustment to the feed roll assembly by the screws I I I. This leg terminates in a holddown foot II2 positioned immediately beneath the base of the roll 92. A work guide wheel H4 is rotatably mounted adjacent the holddown foot so as to be engageable with the assume:

edge of the shoetokeep proper. position for. the lasting operations.

Referring particularly to Figs. 4, 5 and. 6, the

operation of the machine is substantially as fol-"' the lasting margin. in

of the shoe to prevent theshoe from rising in response to the. heightwise tensioning. force. When thus positioned, the edge of the shoe engages the guide wheel I It. Next, the operator releasesthe treadle, Hi5 to allow the spring 96 forcefully to draw the roll 92 towards the wheel 16 and into operating contact with the margin portionof the upper. Now, as the wheel l6 rotates, it exerts a frictional drag on the outside surface of the marginal portion of the cover 28, held againstit by the roll 92, tending to move the marginal portion in a heightwise direction relatively to the surface of the roll, thus applying a tensioning force to the cover. At the same time, the roll 92, which is rotating in a plane parallel to the shoe bottom, exerts a frictional drag on the inside surface of the cover in a direction to feed the shoe. roll 92 extend generally axiallythereof and thus not only facilitate upward movement of the cover,

in response: to the action of the wheel It, but also augment the feeding action of the roll. Similarly the peripheral ribs I 8 on the wheel it increase the frictional drag imparted by the wheel It. Preferably, these ribs are slanted downwards ,1

in the direction of feed in order to eliminate any fight which might be caused by theirheightwise movement as the point of engagement with the margin is drawn along them by the feed. The diagonal ribs l8 frictionally engage the outer surface of the margin at a point above the bottom of the shoe so that any chafing of the surface, incidental to the frictional tensioning, will not be. noticeable in the finished shoe. The operator, by turning the hand wheel M, cancontrol the maximum degree or" tensioning force that may be applied by the wheel It by regulating the torque applied thereto. A clockwise rotation of the hand wheel will screw the threaded shaft 49 farther into the support t2, causing the shaft to move longitudinally to compress the spring 48 thereby increasing the pressure between the clutch plate members 3% and 32 and correspondingly increasing the torque deliverable to the tensioning wheel. Conversely, the degree of tension may be decreased by turning the hand wheel in a counterclockwise direction. The setting for any desired tensioning force may be conveniently gaged by a-calibratedscale S adjacent. the hand wheel.

As the successive portions of the tensioned margin are released from between the wheel It and roll 92, they are presented to the rounded leading edge 55 of the rotary wiper which wipes them in over, and presses them against, the bottom of the shoe. This edge exerts an uninterrupted frictional drag which is progressive both as its contacting surface moves inwardly of the The ribs 94 on the shoe, and as it engages successive portions of the margin; as presented by the feed;.rol l; Also. the t edge directs'thel margin under thetprlncipal;

peripheral operative surfaces of the wiper where it is vigorously rubbed inwardly by. a series. of

strokesextending a considerable distanceinifrom the edge of the shoe. Thewiper 54 is.adaptec'tto wipe in. successive areas of the margin-with, a wiping action which extends progressively in.- wardly from the edgeof the shoe bottom sub.- stantially across the entirewidth of the lastin margin. This action is obtained by-forming-the.

wiper witha polygonal outline comprising an odd number of smoothly merging sides andmounting; the wiper for rotation on the axle Bil whichyis;

vertically movable, by. the spring. it, under the control of theidleroll 64 which engages the surface of the wiper at a point opposite to its engage-.-

ment with the margin. It will be noted thatthe wiper progressively increases in. width from its center of rotation to its peripheral edges through:

out portions of its operative edges comprisinghalf the length of its periphery, and decreasesin'. width throughout the portions comprisinga the other half of its peripherallength. Thus itgwill be apparent, when thewiper is rotated aboutzthevertically movable axle to, it will be elevatedand. lowered by the spring 19 and the roll 84 in sucha way that each successive high point, where two.

adjacent sides of the polygon. smoothly. merge,

will move inwardly over the margin, in. a substantially straight line, from an initial pointer" contact near the edge of the shoe to apoint located inwardly from the edge of the shoe. Thus, the action of the wiper is extended over. substantially the entire width of the margin.

Instead of employing the seven-sided wiper disk, as shown in Figs. 1-6 a disk having adifferent odd number of sides, such, for example, as a three-sided wiper may be used without tiepartingfrom the spirit of this invention or neces, sitating other structural changes in theillus trated machine. Such an arrangement is shown in Figs. '7 and 8, in which the three-sided wiper,

indicated by the reference numeral H5; is.

mounted on the axle Bil, the machine being illus-- trated as operating to last the margin lttxof the upper I32 of a conventional shoe having an insole I36. Fig. 8 shows, in full and broken lines, successive positions assumed by the three-sided wiper H6, as it rotates and moves bodily, and illustrates the manner in which the actionof the wiper is extended over the entire margin. A similar action is, of course, obtained with the seven-sided wiper. As will be apparent, the actual width of the area over which the wiper is effective may be varied by changing the diameter.

of the wiper or by providing a different odd mime.- ber of sides.

In changing the number of sides, the threesided wiper. of Figs. '7 and 8 represents one extreme while at the other extreme is a wiper with an infinite number of sides, i. e. a wiper of circular,

shape. Such a wiper is illustrated, in Fig. .9, as a circular disk H8, which is eccentrically mounted on the axle (it, sothat the distance will progres= sively vary from its center'of rotation to successive just described, and thewiper will assumetsuc- :cessive positions as 1 illustrated by the Tsolid-n-and broken lines. Thus the point of contact of the wiper with the margin will move inwardly and outwardly across the margin while the wiper continuously wipes the margin in a direction inwardly from the edge of the shoe bottom.

Having. thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for lasting shoes, the combination with a wiper for wiping the marginal portion of an upper inwardly over the bottom of a shoe, of a pair of upper gripping members rotatable about different axes so related angularly to each other and to the plane of the shoe bottom as to cause one member to tension the upper heightwise of the shoe and the other member to feed the shoe continuously past said wiper.

2. In a machine for lasting shoes, the combination with a wiper for wiping the marginal por=- tion of an upper inwardly over the bottom of a shoe, of an upper tensioning member engageable with said marginal portion and rotated in a direction whereby the member imparts a tensioning stress to the upper in a direction heightwise of the shoe, and a second rotary member constructed and arranged to press the marginal portion of the upper against the tensioning member and to rotate in a direction as to cause said seeond member independently to feed the shoe continuously past said wiper and upper tensioning member.

3. In a machine for lasting shoes, the combination with a wiper for wiping the marginal portion of an upper inwardly over the bottom of a shoe,

of a rotary upper tensioning member operable to tension the upper in a direction heightwise of the shoe, and a second member constructed and arranged to press the marginal portion of the upper against the tensioning member and to rotate in a direction to feed the shoe continuously past said a wiper, said second member having formed on its upper engaging face ribs extending in directions to render it more efiective thus to feed the shoe while permitting the marginal portion of the up per independently to be tensioned heightwise by said first-named member.

4. A shoe-lasting machine having, in combination, a tensioning member for engaging successive portions of the outside of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted and arranged to impart thereto a frictional stress in a direction substantially heightwise of a shoe, a feed member adapted to engage the opposite side of the last ing margin and hold the lasting margin against the tensioning member, said feed member being arranged to impart a frictional stress on the lasting margin in a direction lengthwise of the shoe for advancing successive portions of the lasting margin towards and into operative engagement with the tensioning member, and means for wiping the lasting margin of the tensioned stock inwardly over and into contact with the bottom of the shoe.

5. A shoe-lasting machine having, in combina= tion, a tensioning member for engaging succes= sive portions of the outside of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted and arranged to impart thereto a frictional stress in a direction sub stantially heightwise of a shoe, a feed member adapted to engage the opposite side of the lasting margin and hold the lasting margin against the tensioning member, said feed member being rotated in a plane parallel to the bottom of the shoe and arranged to impart a frictional stress on the lasting margin in a direction lengthwise L tensioned stock inwardly over and into contact 8. of the shoe for advancing successive portions of the lasting margin towards and into operative engagement with the tensioning member, and means for wiping the lasting margin of the with the bottom of the shoe.

6. 'A shoe-lasting machine having, in combination, a member for engaging successive portions of the outside of the lasting margin of stock to liflbe lasted and rotated in a plane perpendicular and transverse to the bottom of the shoe to impart to said stock a frictional tensioning stress in a direction substantially heightwise of a shoe, a second member adapted to engage the opposite zztfside of the lasting margin and to hold the lasting margin against the first-mentioned member, said second-named member being also arranged to impart a frictional stress on the lasting margin in a direction lengthwise of the shoe tfor advanc- Iiing successive portions of the lasting margin towards and into operative engagement with said first-named member, and means for wiping the lasting margin of the tensioned stock inwardly over and into contact with the bottom of the. shoe.

7. A shoe-lasting machine having, in combination, a member for engaging successive portions of the outside of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted and rotated in a plane perpendicular and transverse to the bottom of the shoe to impart to said stock a frictional tensioning stress in a direction substantially heightwise of a shoe, a second member adapted to engage the opposite side of the lasting margin and to hold the lasting margin against the first-mentioned member, said second-named member being rotated in a plane parallel to the bottom of the shoe and arranged to impart a frictional stress on the lasting margin in a direction lengthwise of the shoe for advancing successive portions of the lasting margin towards and into operative engagement with said first-named member, and means for wiping the lasting margin of the tensioned stock inwardly over and into contact with the bottom of the shoe.

8. A shoe-lasting machine having, in combination, a tension wheel rotating in a plane normal to the bottom of the shoe for frictionally engaging successive longitudinal portions of the outside of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted to impart thereto a tensioning stress in a direction heightwise of the shoe, a pressure feed roll so positioned adjacent the periphery of the tensioning wheel as to operatively bear against the corresponding portions of the inside of the lasting margin directly opposite from the tensioning wheel and independently rotatable to impart a work feeding movement at right angles to the direction of tensioning for advancing successive portions of the lasting margin towards and into operative engagement with the tensioning wheel, and wiping means adjacent to but spaced apart from the tensioning wheel in the direction of feed so that the lasting margin is engaged by the wiper as it is released by the tensioning means.

9. A shoe-lasting machine having, in combination, a tensioning wheel rotating in a plane normal to the bottom of the shoe and having a peripheral edge for frictionally engaging one side of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted and for progressively tensioning successive portions of the margin in a direction heightwise of the shoe, a pressure roll so positioned adjacent the edge of the tensioning wheel as to be engageable with the other side of the lasting margin for progressively pressing the successive margin portions into operative contact with the tensioning wheel and rotatable independently of said wheel in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom of the shoe, said pressure roll being designed and arranged to allow the shoe and lasting margin to move freely in response to a Work feed stress, and means for wiping the margin of the tensioned stock inwardly over and into contact with the bottom of the shoe.

10. A shoe-lasting machine having, in combination, a tensioning wheel rotating in a plane normal to the bottom of the shoe and having a peripheral edge for frictionally contacting one side of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted and for progressively tensioning successive portions of the margin in a direction heightwise of the shoe, a plurality of ribs disposed about the edge of the tensioning wheel diagonally with respect to its peripheral length so as to permit the margin material to move freely in response to a work feeding stress while at the same time eliminating any tendency of said feeding stress to distort the heightwise tensioning movement of the material, a work feed roll so positioned adjacent the edge of the tensioning wheel as to be engageable with the other side of the lasting margin for progressively feeding and pressing the successive portions of the margin into operative contact with the tensioning wheel, and rotatable independently of the tensioning wheel in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom of the shoe, said feed roll being designed and arranged to allow the lasting margin to move freely in response to the action of the tensioning wheel, and means for wiping the margin of the tensioned stock inwardly over and into contact with the bottom ofthe shoe.

11. In a shoe-lasting machine, the combination with tensioning instrumentalities, of a symmw trical disk-like rotary wiper progressively increasing in width from its center of rotation to its peripheral edge throughout portions of its op-, erative periphery and decreasing in width throughout other portions of its operating periphery, driving means rotating the wiper in a plane perpendicular and transverse to the bottom of the shoe, wiper mounting means so constructed and arranged with respect to said driv ing means as to permit the wipers axis of rotation to reciprocate heightwise of the shoe, and pressure means associated with said wiper to limit the heightwise movement, said wiper, driving means, mounting means and pressure means being so related and disposed with respect to one another as to cause each point of engagement of the edge of the wiper with the work to progressively vary in distance inwardly from the edge of the shoe while continuously rubbing in an inward direction from the edge of the shoe.

12. In a shoe-lasting machine, the combination with tensioning instrumentalities, of a symmetrical disk-like rotary wiper progressively increasing in width from its center of rotation to its peripheral edge throughout portions of its operating periphery and decreasing in width throughout other portions of its peripheral length, driving means rotating the wiper in a plane perpendicular and transverse to the bottom of the shoe, wiper mounting means so constructed and arranged with respect to said driving means as to permit the wipers axis of rotation to resaid member and rotatable in ciprocate heightwise of the shoe, and pressure means associated with said wiper to limit the heightwise movement, said wiper, driving means, mounting means and pressure means being so related and disposed with respect to one another as to cause successive portions of the edge of the wiper each to initially engage with the work at a point adjacent the edge of the shoe and to remain contiguous with the work throughout a rubbing stroke extending in a direction inwards from the edge of the shoe.

13. In a shoe-lasting machine, lasting instrumentalities and operating mechanism therefor, in combination with a symmetrical rotary wiper having a peripheral operating edge formed eccentrically with relation to the axis of rotation of the wiper and progressively increasing in width from its center of rotation to its peripheral edge throughout half the length of its periphery and decreasing in Width throughout the other half of its peripheral length, driving means rotating the wiper in a plane normal to the bottom of the shoe, wiper mounting means so constructed and arranged with respect to said driving means as to permit the wipers axis of rotation to reciprocate heightwise of the shoe, and pressure means associated with said wiper to limit the heightwise movement, said wiper, driving means, mounting means and pressure means being so related and disposed with respect to one another as to cause the point of engagement of the edge of the wiper with the work to progressively advance inwardly over the shoe bottom and then to recede towards the edge of the shoe automatically once during each cycle of the wiper while continuously rubbing in an inward direction from the edge of the shoe to eifect the progressive wiping by successive points throughout an area extending substantially across the lasting margin.

14. A machine for progressively operating about the lasting margin of a shoe upper to tension and last the margin inwardly over the bottom of the shoe, comprising a rotary member progressively engageable with one side of successive marginal portions, means for mounting the member for rotation in a plane substantially perpendicular to said engaged portions and to the bottom of the shoe, drive means for rotating the member in a direction as to tension the upper heightwise of the shoe, a feed roll engageable with the opposite side of said portions adjacent a plane substantially parallel to the shoe bottom, and a rotary wiper adjacently positioned alongside the tensioning member for engaging the successive portions of the lasting margin as they are fed past the tensioning member and for Wiping them inwardly over and into contact with the bottom of the shoe.

NORWQOD H. KNOWLTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,790,901 Cosgrove Feb. 3, 1931 2,271,612 Ashworth Feb. 3, 1942 2,286,362 Hammann June 16, 1942 2,379,369 Quinn et a1. Mar. 26, 1946 2,438,917 Kamborian Apr. 6, 1948 2,450,667 Kamborian Oct. 5, 1948 

